A journal about life in Wisconsin, decorating, and restoring an 1893 Queen Anne Victorian built by Civil War veteran John Olson Wrolstad and his wife Mathea. Read on to see lots of old photographs, and read stories of the second owners Thomas and Maren Quien, and their children who filled the house with memories for 90 years.
Very First Photo I Took of the House Feb 18, 2001 - 30 minutes after we bought the house.

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Sunday, April 5, 2015

Here's a photo review of my winter work--5 queen size bed quilts I created the last four months and the 6th one ready to long arm quilt.

Back View of Spring Floral Quilt with decorative panel

I love to make queen size bed quilts--90" x 104" finished is ideal.

About 17 yards of fabric, two large spools of thread.

The process of loading the backing first, then the

Warm and Natural 100% cotton batting, and the quilt top.

Preparation to Quilt

It takes an hour to clean the studio floor, clean the machine, and clean the wheels and rails, install new needle, wind 10-12 bobbins, thread the machine, oil bobbin race, adjust tension.

Squaring fabrics--quilt top, batting, and backing is another hour long job prior to loading.

My free style edge to edge long arm quilting designs take me 2 half days to do a queen size quilt.

This is my design called Feather Bouquet. A couple of evenings before I do the free style quilting I practice the design on my white board for hours to develop confident and free flowing muscle memory. From that point forward--free motion quilting is a piece of cake. I just grab the machine handles and start drawing. It is relaxing and I travel to a zone where every other concern fades.

Feather Bouquet (free motion quilting)

I always add a pieced panel to the backing fabric to add interest.

Anita Goodman Solomon's Arrow Head Block.

Then next quilt I made was a simple framed nine patch block in Earth tones of coal, sand, gray sky, and ivory.

I played with a wonky star block, and liked it, so I made 8 blocks. They sat in my UFO pile for a while waiting for a scrappy quilt project. I used the 8 blocks randomly to break up the routine of this quilt.

You may have noticed, I take lots of photos of my quilts from every angle. Sometimes I can't decide which photos I like best, so I used them all.

Finished long arm quilting, rolling it off the frame.

December was the Scrappy Quilt 2, and January was the Blue Jeans Quilt, and you can review those on my older posts.

Here's a peek at the Orange Applique Quilt when I started it. I confess, I've never done hand applique work before, but I find it fascinating. I would say I'm doing a good job for my first try at hand applique. Surprise--they'll be bead work on it too!

I have to piece the backing with a panel of left over orange quilt blocks, then I can load it on the frame for long arm quilting. I'll share photos when its done.

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About Me

I work out of my studio as a free style long arm quilter, and designer of beaded handbags and soft luggage.
Since 2007 my husband and I have been restoring a Queen Anne Victorian. The majority of projects are finished after eight years. But, I don't think one ever finishes work on hundred year old home.
Our journal
http://www.1893victorianfarmhouse.blogspot.com shares our life here in rural Wisconsin with many before and after restoration photos and history of the two previous owner families. We feel honored to repair this old house and give it another hundred years of life.
I have lots of hobbies, most of them a result of the restoration project. I love to sew draperies, quilting queen size bed quilts, machine embroider fine linens, re-cover vintage lampshades and upholster chairs. I've become good at repairing interior walls, and scraping, priming, and painting the exterior of the house. Its hard work, but a satisfying journey.
I hope you become a follower of my blog. I have lots of photos to share with you.
Sincerely,
Mrs. D